🚢 U.S. Cracks Down on Cruise Crews as Visa Review Expands

The U.S. is stepping up deportations of cruise ship workers, sparking alarm among advocacy groups and adding new pressure to an industry still struggling to recover post-pandemic.

 

📌 According to the Pilipino Workers Center, officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) boarded Carnival Sunshine in Norfolk, Virginia, on August 17. Four Filipino crewmembers were detained, taken off the vessel, held overnight under guard, and flown out of the country the next day. Officials claimed the men violated their visas – but presented no evidence, no charges, and offered no legal hearings. Instead, the seafarers were told to sign deportation papers or face fines of up to $250,000 and possible jail time. Alongside deportation, they now face a 10-year ban from returning to the U.S.

 

Advocates say the case is part of a broader pattern: since spring, 28 crew from Carnival Sunshine and more than 100 cruise ship workers nationwide have been deported despite holding valid seafarer visas. Many were reportedly targeted for simply participating in an online chat group flagged by authorities. All denied wrongdoing, but had no opportunity to contest the accusations.

 

⚖️ Advocacy groups argue that the deportations amount to “fast-tracking” people out of the country without due process – an approach they say undermines both workers’ rights and international labor standards.

 

The crackdown coincides with the Trump administration’s decision to expand its review of 55 million visas worldwide. While officials insist the policy is about protecting American jobs, critics warn it risks destabilizing industries that depend on foreign workers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that visas for foreign truck drivers are being suspended, citing road safety and competition concerns. Yet logistics experts caution this could deepen the U.S. driver shortage and disrupt already strained supply chains.

 

🚨 For the cruise sector, the implications are serious. Crews are overwhelmingly international, and sudden deportations could leave ships short-staffed, complicating operations just as passenger demand is rebounding.

 

Advocates are now urging the Philippine government to intervene on behalf of its seafarers, a group that makes up a significant share of the global cruise workforce.

 

👉 The message from Washington is clear: immigration rules are being enforced with new intensity. But for the men and women working at sea, the human cost is rising fast.

 

Source: Maritime Executive

Picture: Carnival Cruise Line